Virginia Beach County, VA · Atlantic Ocean
Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach
VA Beach tidal inlet with jetty, bridge, and surf fishing access. Strong tidal current concentrates a mixed bag of saltwater species — flounder stack in the channel, Spanish mackerel blitz the inlet mouth in summer, and red drum show in the fall.
Live · updated
Top picks today
Spanish Mackerel & Red Drum — tied at the top (84/100)
2 species tied for best of 6 tracked at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach.
Atmosphere
Water
Sun & Moon
Today's Tides
| Time | Type | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 12:10 AM | Low | 0.3 ft |
| 5:59 AM | High | 2.2 ft |
| 12:02 PM | Low | 0.1 ft |
| 6:29 PM | High | 2.9 ft |
Species at Rudee Inlet
6 species tracked, ranked by today's conditions. The top 2 (tied) are open below — tap any species to expand it, or a chip to focus.
#1 Spanish Mackerel Great day to fish for Spanish Mackerel. In season 84/100
What's helping
- 76°F water — right in spanish mackerel's ideal range
- 12 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- outgoing tide — spanish mackerel prefers incoming tide
About. Scomberomorus maculatus — Fast-running summer migrant. Runs the lower Chesapeake and VA Atlantic coast in schools from late June through September. Targeted by casting small metal jigs (Kastmaster, Hopkins) into busting fish, or trolling #1-#2 Clark spoons behind planers at 6-8 knots. Wire leaders not required — just use long-shank hooks and fluorocarbon.
Prefers. Water 65–82°F (ideal 74°F) · incoming tide · depth 5–40 ft.
Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →
- Min size
- 14"
- Daily creel
- 15
Virginia Atlantic coast: 14-inch minimum fork length, 15 per day. Same VMRC regulation as tidal Bay. Summer fishery — fish present roughly mid-June through September.
Source: Virginia tidal (VMRC) regulations · verified 2026-04-22.
#1 Red Drum Great day to fish for Red Drum. In season 84/100
What's helping
- 76°F water — right in red drum's ideal range
- 12 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- outgoing tide — red drum prefers incoming tide
About. Sciaenops ocellatus — Also called channel bass, redfish, or (as juveniles) puppy drum. Summer and fall target around the lower Bay shoals and the Eastern Shore coastal bays. Big "bull reds" cruise the surf in fall.
Prefers. Water 65–85°F (ideal 75°F) · incoming tide · depth 3–20 ft.
Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 26"
- Daily creel
- 3
Virginia Atlantic coast: 18–26 inch slot, 3 per day. Same rule as tidal Bay. All fish outside the slot must be released. Popular fall surf fishery along the Eastern Shore seaside and Virginia Beach.
Source: Virginia tidal (VMRC) regulations · verified 2026-04-22.
#3 Bluefish Great day to fish for Bluefish. In season 72/100
What's helping
- 76°F water — inside bluefish's active range
- 12 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- outgoing tide — bluefish prefers incoming tide
About. Pomatomus saltatrix — Toothy, aggressive pelagic predator. "Snapper blues" invade the lower Bay and coastal bays in summer; bigger choppers along the Atlantic coast. Hits metal jigs, topwater, and cut bait savagely — wire leaders recommended.
Prefers. Water 60–80°F (ideal 70°F) · incoming tide · depth 5–50 ft.
Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →
- Daily creel
- 5
Virginia Atlantic coast: no minimum size, 5 per person per day. 4VAC20-450 — matches the tidal Bay rule. ASMFC coastwide allocation; adjusted annually.
Source: Virginia tidal (VMRC) regulations · verified 2026-04-22.
#3 Spotted Seatrout Spotted Seatrout targeting is prohibited today. No targeting 72/100
It is illegal to fish for Spotted Seatrout at this location today. Accidental catches must be released immediately.
What's helping
- 76°F water — inside spotted seatrout's active range
- 12 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- outgoing tide — spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide
About. Cynoscion nebulosus — Popularly called "speckled trout" or "specks." Summer-fall target in the lower Bay grass beds and the Eastern Shore coastal bays. Topwater walkers at dawn and soft plastics on jigheads are standard.
Prefers. Water 60–85°F (ideal 72°F) · incoming tide · depth 3–15 ft.
Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →
- Min size
- 14"
- Daily creel
- 5
Virginia Atlantic coast: 14-inch minimum, 5 per day, no more than 1 fish over 24 inches. CLOSED April 1–June 30, 2026 (same spring closure as tidal Bay). 4VAC20-280.
Source: Virginia tidal (VMRC) regulations · verified 2026-04-22.
#5 Summer Flounder Workable day for Summer Flounder. In season 56/100
What's helping
- outgoing tide — summer flounder prefers outgoing tide
- 12 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- 76°F water — above summer flounder's active range (58–75°f) — fish move deep
About. Paralichthys dentatus — Locally called "fluke." Flatfish that ambushes bait off sandy and mixed bottom. Drifting bucktails tipped with Gulp! or live minnows through Ocean City and Chincoteague inlets is the classic method.
Prefers. Water 58–75°F (ideal 65°F) · outgoing tide · depth 10–100 ft.
Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →
- Min size
- 16"
- Daily creel
- 4
Virginia Atlantic coast: 16 in (Jan 1–May 31) / 17.5 in (Jun 1–Dec 31), 4 per day. ASMFC-managed; same season step-up as the rest of the mid-Atlantic. Classic VA fluke fisheries: CBBT tunnel islands, Rudee Inlet, Lynnhaven.
Source: Virginia tidal (VMRC) regulations · verified 2026-04-22.
#6 Striped Bass Marginal conditions for Striped Bass. In season 36/100
What's helping
- 12 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- 76°F water — above striped bass's active range (50–72°f) — fish move deep
- outgoing tide — striped bass prefers incoming tide
About. Morone saxatilis — Maryland's state fish. Anadromous — runs into Bay tributaries to spawn each spring. Targeted by trolling, jigging, live-lining, and surf casting. Locally called "rockfish."
Prefers. Water 50–72°F (ideal 62°F) · incoming tide · depth 5–35 ft.
Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →
- Min size
- 28"
- Max size
- 31"
- Daily creel
- 1
Virginia Atlantic Ocean (coastal area). 28–31 inch slot, 1 fish per day. Open January 1–March 31 and May 16–December 31. Closed April 1–May 15 for the spawning run. 4VAC20-252-110. Matches the ASMFC coastwide slot. Distinct from the Bay slot (19–24 in) — the two are not interchangeable; the coastal reg applies only seaward of the COLREGS demarcation line.
Source: Virginia tidal (VMRC) regulations · verified 2026-04-22.
Location Info
Water Body
Atlantic Ocean
Access
Pier, shore, and ramp
Jurisdiction
Virginia tidal (VMRC)
Coordinates
Notes
Metered parking; arrive early in summer. Boat launches nearby at Owl Creek. Jetty rocks can be slippery — use caution.
Local reports & rules for Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach: Virginia DWR fishing & regulations → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →
Nearby Access Points
Frequently Asked
Do I need a fishing license to fish at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach?
Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach you need a Virginia saltwater recreational fishing license issued by VMRC, or a free Virginia Fisherman Identification Program (FIP) registration if otherwise exempt. See the agency's current rules: https://mrc.virginia.gov/regulations/recfish-licensing.shtm
What fish are commonly targeted at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach?
Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Summer Flounder, Striped Bass, Bluefish, Spanish Mackerel, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.
When is the best time to fish at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach?
It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.
What kind of access does Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach have?
Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Metered parking; arrive early in summer. Boat launches nearby at Owl Creek. Jetty rocks can be slippery — use caution.
Which state's fishing regulations apply at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach?
Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) saltwater regulations apply at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.
Is Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach tidal water?
Yes. Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.